The Irish standard., 1887-02-12
coREAN ROYALTY.
The Intelligence and Liberality OF al,
Asiatic King and Queen.

COREAN hOYALi Il
The Intelligence and Liberality OF an
Asiatic King and Queen.
The Corean royal family is directly
composed Of four menbers-the King,
Queen, Crown Prince and his wife.
Their majesties are about thirty-eight
years of age, and are very intelligent.
It is often remarked with wonder and
surprise how we'll posted the King is on
foreign inventions, social customs and
political relations. He is short in stat
ure, and seems greatly to admire big
men. His face is very pleasing and
bright. He has kind look and man
ner, and doubtless shrinks from some
Of the penalties he has to infict Her
Majesty is rather tall for a Corean
lady; somewhat spare, and with very
determined mien. Her face in CONVEX
sation is pleasing, but one feels that it
could soon change if she were crossed.
The Crown Prince is boy of fifteen,
and is as tall as his father. He
lis at a time Of life when
not much can be known as to
his future development, but he bids fair
to fill out and become strong of mind
and body. -Domestically they seem to
be a happy family. The Queen is never
seen by any men outside of her own
family and the many eunuchs of the
palace. They like foreign things and
will have only the best They possess
number of handsome gold watches
with finely jeweled works, and cases
set with diamonds. They use foreign
lamps altogether and eat quite a good
proportion of foreign food. Although
the King has been badly deceived at
times by foreigners, he still seems to
believe in them, and is very friendly to
those whose duties bring them in con-
tact with him. Some of them have his
confidence to a great degree. Her
Majesty seems to enjoy seeing foreign
ladies. She was very fond of the late
lamented Mrs. Foote, and seems quite
warmly disposed toward some Of the
ladies and residents of the capital.
Banquets are not infrequently given
at the palace in foreign style, and that
style is we'll sustained. Atthese times,
the guests first have an audience, and
when all have been received the ban
quet proceeds. The courses are liyened
by short theatricals, music and fire.
works. The royal hosts are usually Sc
creted in some convenient place, so
that they may enjoy the scene without
embarrassing the guests by their pres
ence The table is usually presided
over by one Of the heads of depart
ments cabinet ofdcers), and messages
are sent in by the royal family, 10
whom many toasts are offered.
AS the business of the government is
mostly transacted at night, in order
that the wheels may run smoothly the
next day, the hours kept by the royal
family are rather irregular. They
usually retire at about four or five
o'clock in the morning, and get up
some time after noon, taking their
meals accordingly. They have some fine
American horses from California; also,
some Shetland ponies, on which the
Crown Prince intends to ride. 'rhe
grounds of the palace are SO large that
nearly every kind of sport may be in
dulged in within the walls. Even hunt
ing is good, for back of the palace in
closure proper, there is a whole noun
tain side included within walls extend
ing from the palace walls to the main
wall of the city. In this wild place,
which communicates with a long range
of mountains, tigers and leopards are
frequently seen. In fact, the cold
weather and scarcity of food often
drives these animals within the city
walls, and an American naval officer
recently took home a tiger killed in the
city on the south mountain, and where
foreigners mostly go for pleasure.
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.